Yantir
I sailed upon a little ship, through the gates of Xhahon-Dor, '' ''and upon blue waves I traveled, past those ancient gates of yore. '' ''To a land with nations great and strong,with peoples many and legends long. '' ''With cultured art and riches laced, now I pass it, gone to waste. '' ''Past the perches of Yeleghem, once true and pure, now in dusty streets cries ring out, as hungry slavers flesh procure. '' ''Past Vulwat's walls high and tall, yet as we passed the condemned did call. '' ''On we sailed to the southern shore, where the jungles shook with demon's roar. '' ''And then I thought all hope was lost, all glory spent and consumed by rot, '' '''til to the Thousand Isles we came, glimmering like summer rain. '' ''With cities plundered and chaos reigning, we turned from there, tears unfeigning, '' ''for in the harbour of the Dragon Lands, with eager hearts we had made our plans '' ''to see the jewel of Old Turai, and upon its glories we had wished to spy, '' ''yet now in haste we left that land, back to sea and back to sand, and now the gates did look like jaws, from which we fled, and wept without pause. - Leckhar, Dragonborn poet from Okarthel, in his Journeys as a Younger Man, ''published in 717LN Yantir Yantir is one of the major continents on Tolas. Situated southwest of Etan, and west of Vhir, its climate is much warmer than other, more northern regions, yet still contains striking variance. A land with a long history, Yantir was home to some of the greatest civilisations on Tolas. By the time of the Divine Era, however, many of the populated areas of the continent had sunken into decay or strife. Geography Yantir's western side is dominated by The Ceaseless Sands, a huge desert which encompasses a large portion of the continent. To the north, the continent is divided by the Seared Lands, a region of unceasing volcanic activity that has both resulted in impassable ash wastes, and fertile, arable land in its proximity. The Gulf of Yantir, ringed by mountains and hills, is thus the most hospitable, and richest area of the continent. Enjoying regular rainfall and rich soil, it is this area that has seen the rise of so many powerful civilisations and states. Within the Gulf, the Thousand Isles deserve mention, an archipelago that hugs the western shore, created by the erosion of softer rock over thousands of years. The Gulf is connected to the rest of Tolas' oceans by Xhahon's Gate, a narrow strait that allows ships from across Tolas into the heart of Yantir. Population Although the Ceaseless Sands are sparsely populated by nomadic tribes, the vast bulk of Yantir's population lies on the periphery of the Gulf, with the Tyrant Thrones undoubtedly being the most populous region. The most common races on Yantir are as follows: * Human * Half-Dwarf * Dwarves * Tieflings * Dragonborn * Catfolk * Elf Civilisations of Yantir Yantiran civilisations can trace their history back hundreds and hundreds of years, though many have fallen far from their previous lofty heights. Broadly, the civilisations of Yantir, and the major cities and territories they control, are as follows: Old Turai/Tyrant Thrones ''For more on this topic, see here. Old Turai was the crowning civilisation of Yantir, now fallen into chaos and ruin. Occupying the most fertile and richest region of the continent, Old Turai is now generally referred to as the Tyrant Thrones, and contains: * Turai * Gandara * Jishol * Sekelbeh * Mhedi * Ossa * Organisations of the Thrones Nerevic Empire For more on this topic, see here. Founded by Saint Nerev, the Nerevic Empire occupies the northern peninsula of the Gulf of Yantir. A cooler, more temperate land, the Nerevic Empire is the newest civilisation to emerge on Yantir, and strives hard to avoid falling into the decay of its neighbours. The Nerevic Empire includes: * Nereva * Orethi * Sadrith * Uvirith * Marand * The Anointed Lands * Nerevic Religion and Culture Quel'Doran Colonies For more on this topic, see here. Although Quel'Doran used to control much more of the northern shore of Yantir, campaigns by the fledgling Nerevic Empire, and strife within Quel'Doran itself, meant that much of these lands were lost. Quel'Doran does have significant colonies on the continent still, though these are in the more isolated western half, cut off from the nations of the Gulf by deserts and ashen wastes. Nevertheless, they form an important part of the empire, and include: * Alu'Barad * Lithal * Nnar'Oster Yeleghem For more on this topic, see here. Although they used to be two conflicting tribes, the nation of Yeleghem emerged following the efforts of Edgard and Dana Clifftencrop. Yeleghem, perched on both sides of Xhahon's Gate, includes: * Nimram * Shishram Vulwat For more on this topic, see here. Vulwat, occupying the southern side of the Gulf of Yantir, is an isolated region concerned primarily with its defense and stability. Three main cities constitute the bulk of Vulwat's population, as well as its powerful magic and remorseless enforcers. These cities are: * Yevin Omi * Ambili * Emova = Category:Location Category:Yantir